The City of Austin will pay the University of Texas $126,475 to install 718 water-efficient toilets, pending Council's approval today:
The replacement of these toilets is expected to save 25,024 gallons per day, reducing demands on Utility’s treatment capacity and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions created by energy used to treat and pump the water by 21 metric tons of CO2 emissions/yr.
The University of Texas at Austin is contracting with Water Management, Inc., to improve water efficiency at its facilities here in Austin. Under this performance contract, Water Management is identifying opportunities for water savings, purchasing and installing water saving equipment. As such, Water Management is the agent that is determining which fixtures to install, and without the Water Conservation rebate would not find it cost effective to replace these old large capacity toilets. As the agency that is deciding which fixtures to purchase and install, Water Management is eligible under the program guidelines to receive the rebate. Water Management, the University of Texas, and Water Conservation have been working together on this effort from its inception to help the University reduce its water usage.
This is how things work in the bizarro world of underpriced water. We have to pay people to cut their use of subsidized water because the price does not give them the right incentive. We get screwed twice -- once when we sell them the water and again when we pay them to buy less.
Perhaps the City could donate the rebate to the University's archaeology department and kill two birds with one stone.
